THN – “Hope in Edmonton
has been in short supply in recent years and that’s not limited to the
NHL.But the expansion Oil Kings are
starting to produce top-end talent and Michael St. Croix is the latest to come
out of the program.His father, Rick St.
Croix, tended net for the Flyers and Maple Leafs, so there is a pro pedigree in
the family.Ironically, St. Croix is a terror for netminders and came into the
WHL as a highly touted prospect who scored more than two points a game in
midget.Defensive play and overall
strength are weaknesses right now, though St. Croix
has an elusiveness that helps him avoid getting caught by big hits.Those moves also help him stymie opposing
blueliners.‘He plays more of an
east-west game than a north-south game, so defensemen need to honor that,
especially because of his stickhandling,’ one scout said.‘Speed is his biggest asset.He sees the ice well and he distributes the
puck well.’”

The Scouting Report – “Michael St. Croix had a solid,
though not spectacular season in the WHL this year. The skilled center built on
his rookie campaign by becoming a leader with the young Oil Kings, scoring 75
points and improving his plus/minus rating by an impressive 49 points in his
second year. St. Croix is a competitive player
who likes to set up his teammates, but can also finish when he gets the chance.
Next season will go a long way in determining what kind of player St. Croix will be. If he can produce at the level he’s
capable of, he could quickly establish himself as one of the potential steals
in the 2011 draft.”

Bruins 2011 Draft Watch – “Like McNeill, St.
Croix is to be commended for picking up his game and making a
statement to scouts as the season went on. Coming into it, the season, the Winnipeg native had high
offensive expectations given the flashes he showed as a rookie with the Oil
Kings last year. He got off to a slow start, and compounded with some
indifferent defensive play, was headed down in some NHL teams' eyes until he
turned things around at mid-season and finished the year strong. A very good
skater who can dangle with the best of them, he's got a lightning release and
just seems to have that sixth sense around the net when it comes to scoring goals
or setting them up. He tallied 27 markers and 75 points in 68 games, finishing
just three points off the scoring lead to Dylan Wruck. His willingness to
get his nose dirty and play more responsible in all zones is precisely why his
stock is up these days. Will it be enough to get him into the first round? That
remains to be seen, but even if he doesn't crack the Friday night lineup, he
won't be around long on Saturday, as he has some of the best natural upside of
any in this class. His average size (5-11, 165) hurts him- he needs to get a
lot stronger, but that should come in time.”

Corey Pronman – “Michael St. Croix came into the season
expecting to dominate offensively, and while he did well, he didn't show the
complete upside he's capable of. He's a solid skater, with a very fluid and
effective stride who has the agility and edge control to be extremely elusive. St. Croix has plus puck skills and can make defenders
miss left and right, but also can make very good distributions if they back off
him. He's a well above-average power play weapon and can make a ton of things
happen from the left side of the offensive zone. He has a solid shot and is
able to score his mid-distances. His physical game is well below-average right
now, and it likely will top out at most as a fringe tool. St.
Croix does go into the physical areas and drives to the net, but
he is relatively ineffective and physically overwhelmed easily to the point it
makes more sense for him to stay on the perimeter. His hockey sense is solid to
above-average, and offensively his awareness is impressive. He makes
lightning-quick decisions—sometimes it even looks like he's rushing it by how
quickly he moves the puck. St. Croix's
defensive game was bad in the first half, but made some progression in the
second half, although I'm not 100% he can stay at the center position.”

Hockey’s Future – “A speedster with soft hands and
exceptional puck skills, St. Croix has turned
in a determined effort of late. Perhaps considered under-sized in some
quarters, the 5'11, 180 pound center brings an offensive flair to the rink that
is very similar to what hockey fans in St. Croix's backyard are seeing from the
current group of rookie forwards skating with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.”

THN.com – “His statistics and achievements speak for
themselves, but the essence to St. Croix’s
unique game is his style of play. A playmaker and goal-scorer, he believes a
big part of his game involves his vision, which contributes to his impressive
offensive abilities. St. Croix is able to set up plays and get passes through
the narrowest of lanes, but most importantly he positions himself perfectly to
finish the play. At the same time, his vision grants him the confidence to get
fancy with the puck and put on a show.”

ESPN - “ ‘His play fell way off after a concussion in
January,’ said one scout based in Western Canada.
‘Right before that he was playing his best hockey of the season. He'd been
solid in the first half of the season. If you project him off the first half
rather than the end, you can see him the 30s. The final Central ranking [59]
isn't really fair. He has a knock on his skating. He's average to just above
average on skating. With his skating and his size, he has to be the type of
player who'll go into heavy traffic, in the tough areas on the ice. If you look
at Martin St. Louis, one of the real strengths of his game, an under-rated
part of his success, is his toughness. If St. Croix
isn't shy after his concussion, if you've seen him go in traffic and think
that's he'll be willing to do that, then the 30s aren't out of the question.’
And as stated before, if you might be in the 30s in this draft, you have a shot
at the 20s. Stockwatch: The better the scouts' memory, the higher
his stock rises.”

Thoughts: If the Rangers still had a second-round pick,
Michael St. Croix might be the type of player they’d think seriously about
taking.The winger is a tad undersized,
but he draws rave reviews for his offensive ability.His skating is strong and his vision and
playmaking are definitely notable.St. Croix might be a bit of a one-dimensional player at
this point, but considering the Rangers’ greatest need is skilled offensive
wingers, he’d have made a ton of sense for them to look at.St. Croix would be a reach in the first
round, but if New York picks up another top-60
pick at some point, St. Croix might be a
steal.

The Rangers took Dylan McIlrath out of the WHL in the first
round last year.They draft from the WHL and OHL with
frequency.